Gas control system



Feb. 26, 1935.

F. H. CORNELIUS GAS CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Aug. '7. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR Funk f2. Come/ms.

BY R fifiorm j Feb. 26, 1935. F. H, CORNELIUS GAS CONTROL SYSTEM FiledAug. 7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fia/m H Carm /1'05.

BY A 5 ATTORNEY iii Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICEGAS CONTROL SYSTEM Frank H. Cornelius, Swlssvale, Pa. Application August7, 1931, Serial No. 555,803

3Claims.

My invention relates to a gas control syste and it has special referenceto furnace gas control systems involving safety devices;

One object of my invention is to provide, in conjunction with a valvefor supplying gas to a burner or the like, in a furnace, an arrangementut izing temperature variations in the rooms to be heated or elsewherefor relatively varying opposing pressures associated with the valve, andthus opening or closing the same.

A second object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated, embodying a diaphragm adapted to be flexed in accordance withopposing gas pressures thereon for actuating the valve member, thediaphragm being controllable either by specified above, or beingmanually lockable in a certain position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterin question, wherein the manually lockable means is automaticallyreleased when the valve moves to another position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pilot light system, inconjunction with a valve for supplying gas to a burner or the like, inwhich the closure of the valve is effected when a control burner isunlighted for any reason, thereby preventing the flow of gas to theburner when the burner has become extinguished, which is an importantsafety measure.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of thecharacter just set forth, wherein the heat from the control burnerserves to control a thermostatic member, which in turn controls theoperation of the main valve.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, rigid and durablegas control system, wherein the gas, itself, is used as the operatingmedium instead of an electric current.

Other objects of my invention will become evi dent from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pilot light andburner apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with my presentinvention,

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, with certain parts in section, ofthe apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views of the apparatusparts that are shown in section in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, I have herein shown a supply pipe 1 which isprovided with a handoperated valve or stop cock 2 leading to a gasprestemperature variations, as'

sure regulator 3, of any well-known type, for reducing and regulatingthe pressure 01. the m. then to a main valve and control device 4, andfinally to a suitable grid type or other burner 5, where the gas isconsumed, in order to heat' air passing through a furnace, or water in aboiler, for example. A pilot light device 6, an electrically controlledgas valve 7 and a room thermostat 8 comprise the auxiliary orcontrol-elements of my system.

The hand valve 2 may be opened or closed, as desired, by applying asuitable handle or wrench to the square outer end 11 of the stem.Whether the valve 2 is open or closed, however, high pressure gas isdirected from the inlet side of the valve through a suitable pipe orconduit 12 to the vicinity of the pilot light device 6, further controland flow thereof being manually and automatically governed assubsequently set forth in detail.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the main valve and control device 4therefor is shown as comprising a suitable globe valve body 13interposed in the supply pipe 1, a casing 14 of relatively largediameter being located above the valve body for purposes to bedescribed, together with a cap or cover 15 of smaller diameter locatedabove the casing 14. The globe valve 13 may be provided with the usualinner partition 16 and horizontal central opening or seat 17, which maybe closed by asuitable valve proper 18 secured to a valve stem 19. Asmall flexible diaphragm 20 has its edges clamped between the upperflanges of the globe valve 13 and the lowermember or cover 21 of thecasing 14,'suitable bolts 22 being utilized to secure the member 21 andthe upper flanges of the globe valve together. The middle portion of thediaphragm 20 is secured to the valve stem 19 by means of a pair ofopposed nuts 23.

About the middle of the casing 14 a main or largediameter diaphragm 24is also secured to the valve stem 19 by means of a pair of opposed nuts25, the outer edge or periphery of the diaphragm 24 being secured to thecasing 14 by means of screws or bolts 27 passing through flanges of thelower casing member 21 and upper. casing member 26 and clamping theperiphery of the diaphragm 24 between them. For the purpose ofpermitting a slow leakage of gas under pressure from the lower part ofthe casing 14, that is, the part below the diaphragm to the upper part,an eyelet or opening 28 is provided in the diaphragm. To bias the maindiaphragm 24 towards its lowermost position corresponding to closure. ofthe main valve 18, a coiled spring 29 is positioned between a shallowcup 36 on the upper side of the diaphragm 24 and the middle portion orboss 30 of the upper casing element 26;

To provide a manually lockable means for the main valve 18, in order tohold it open permanently, when desired, a right-angle or weighted lever31 normally occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 3, and is pivotednear its free horizontal end at 32 to the upper end of the valve stem19. The other right-angle portion 33 of the lockable means normallyhangs downwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 3, because of its weight andits 10- catlon with respect to the pivotal point 32. However, if it isdesired to temporarily lock the main valve 18 in its upper or openposition, the cap 15 enclosing the upper end of the valve stem may beremoved and the lockable means moved into a vertical position whereinthe lever 31 engages the upper surface 'of the boss 30 and preventsdownward movement of the main valve 18, thus holding the valve open.This expedient may be resorted to in the event of temporary failure orthe automatic apparatus or for any other purpose.

However, it should be noted that the locking means in question iseflective merely in the one direction. That is to say, upon resumptionof the operation of the automatic control apparatus, a slight upwardmovement of the main valve 18 and valve stem 19, by reason of gaspressure under the diaphragm 24, serves to release or free the lockingor jamming action of the lever 31, in which case the weighted end 33causes the looking means to automatically resume the positionillustrated in Fig. 3, whereupon normal automatic operation, assubsequently described in detail, may proceed. It should be furthernoted that member 31, as shown in the drawings, is in the position forautomatic operation, the valve 4 being shown in its open position. Themember 31 cannot rotate clockwise to any greater degree than that shownby reason of the arm 33 projecting below the topmost side of the boss inthe cover 26 through which the valve stem passes. For manual opening ofthe valve, the member 31 is rotated through approximately ninety degreesin a counter-clockwise direction, at which time the left-hand end of themember 31 after the valve dropped a trifle would rest on top of the bossthrough which the valve stem passes and will thus maintain the valve inthe open position. The valve in this position is not as fully opened asis shown in the drawing, but should the automatic opening cycle beresumed, the valve stem 19 will move upwardly to the fully open positionshown, as specified above. This action releases the left-hand end of themember 31 and the arm 33, because of its greater weight, will thenproduce rotation of the member 31 to the position shown which permitsfurther automatic operation.

The upper chamber of the casing 14 communicates with an outlet pipe 35,which leads to the electrically controlled gas valve 7, as subsequentlydescribed.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4, the pilot light device 6 is shownas comprising a casing 40 having an intermediate partition 41 with acentral opening or seat 42 and a removable cap 43 at one end of thecasing 40. A valve proper 44 is adapted to fit in the seat 42 andprevent communication between the two chambers 54 .and 56 of the casing40 when a thermostatic element or diaphragm 48 occupies the normal orcold position indicated in dotted lines. The

thermostatic element 48 is suitably secured to a valve stem 45, whichslides through a boss 46 in the adjacent end of the casing 40 and alsooperates through a small chamber 47 for a purpose to be set forth.

The thermostatic element 48 is provided with suitable gas-passingperforations 63 and is enclosed in a suitable casing having inner andouter members 49 and 50, respectively, provided with flanges forclamping the periphery of the thermostatic element 48 by means ofsuitable bolts 51. The central portion of the outer casing member 50 isprovided with a suitably apertured nozzle, or safety burner tip, 52 forproviding the desired control burner. A pipe or conduit 53 communicatingwith the pipe 12 opens into chamber 54, a second pipe 55, whichcommunicates with both the pipe 12 and the pipe 62 leading to the casing14, opens into chamber 56, while a pipe 57, communicating through amanually operable adjusting valve 59 with the outer portion of the pipe12, opens into chamber 47 of the casing 40 for purposes to behereinafter set forth.

A manually controlled spring-closed or pushbutton valve 58 is providedin the pipe 12 between the pipes 53 and 55, and another manuallyoperable adiusting valve 60 is provided in the pipe 12 between the pipe'7 and additional pilot lights 61, which may be disposed whereverdesired and will be controlled in accordance with the .conditionwhetherlighted or unlightedof the control burner 52.

The operationof my pilot light system may be set forth as follows:Normally high pressure gas from the inlet side of the valve 2 will flowthrough pipe 12 to pipe 53 and chamber 54 of the pilot lightdevice 6.With the diaphragm 48 occupying its normal or cold position, indicatedby the dotted lines, the valve 44 is, of course, closed and nothingfurther can occur, unless and until the burner tip 52 is lighted bymeans of temporarily pressing the push-button or spring valve 58 topermit gas to flow through valve 59 to chamber 47 and thence through theopenings 63 in the thermostatic element 48 to the tip 52. After a shorttime, the heat'from the safety burner 52 will react on the thermostaticmember or disc 48 and cause it to snap into its solid-line positionillustrated in Fig. 4, in accordance with wellknown principles.

In this event, the high-pressure gas is permitted to flow from chamber54 through the open valve seat 42 into the chamber 56 of the casing 40and thence through pipes 55 and 62 to the lower side of the casing 14that is associated with the main globe valve 13. At the same time, highpressure gas may flow from the chamber 56 through pipe 55 and valve 60to the additional pilots 61 which may be lighted at this same time andwhich thus operate thereafter in conjunction with the control burner 52.The valves 59 and 60 are normally open, but may be adjusted as desiredto regulate the size of the flames operating through'the tips 52 and 61,respectively. However, valve 58 being of the spring type, is alwaysclosed, except when manually operated for first lighting the burners 52and 61.

The high pressure gas flowing into the lower chamber of the casing 14associated with the main valve 18 likewise seeps into the upper half ofthe casing through the eyelet or opening 28. However, high-pressure gasacting on the upper side of the lower or smaller diaphragm 20, coupledwith the biasing action of the spring 29 above the main diaphragm 24,causes the main valve 18 to be actuated downwardly into its closedposition, thusshutting off the. flow of gas to the burner 5. This willbe the condition of the apparatus when the room thermostat 8 does notcall for heat, that is, when the temperature of the room is up to thedesired degree.

However, when the room temperature decreases to the point where thethermostat 8, of any suitable type, operates, electricity being suppliedfrom a suitable source 39, the electrically-controlled gas valve 7 willbe thereby opened to permit the flow or release of gas under highpressure from the upper chamber of the casing 14 through pipe and valve7 to the main supply pipe 1, at the illustrated point intermediatecontrol device 4 and burner 5, low pressure gas being present withinpipe,1 at this point by reason of the pressurereducing action ofpressure regulator 3. This release of pressure from the upper side ofthe diaphragm 24 causes the pressure on the lower side thereof to raisethe diaphragm upwardly, overcoming the downward pressure on the smallerdiaphragm 20 and the biasing action of the spring 29, thus opening themain valve 18. As a result, gas flowsthrough the main globe valve 13into the burners 5, where the gas is lighted by the burner 52 and theroom temperature is increased in the usual way through the operation ofthe furnace in which the burners 5 are used.

Thus the temperature in a remote room where the thermostat 8 is locatedserves to release the pressure from one side of the main diaphragm 24and thus permit gas to flow to the burner 5, provided the burner 52 isin its lighted condition. However, should thelatter become extinguished,then the lack of heat on the adj acent thermostatic element or disc 48will cause it to return to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig.4 and thus close the valve 44 in the pilot light device 6. The

closure of this valve shuts ofi the flow of gas under pressure to theunderside of the diaphragm 24, whereupon the action of the spring 29coupled with what pressure there is on the upper side of the lowerdiaphragm 20 causes the main valve 18 to be closed and to remain closedas long as the burner 52 is unlighted. The closure of valve 44 in thepilot light device 6 also shuts off the flow of gas to the other pilots61, whereby they are also extinguished.

In the event that the burner 52 becomes extinguished, therefore, theflow of gas to any point other than the chamber 54 of the burner 52 isstopped, and, in particular, no gas can be supplied through the mainvalve 18 to the burners 5 so long as the burner 52 remains unlighted.

It will be seen that I have thus provided a simple and effective safetygas control for furnaces and the like, wherein the gas pressure, itself,or the release thereof, is utilized to control the main gas-supplyingvalve, and, in the event that the control burner becomes extinguished,the supply of gas fuel to the burners is cut' oil and remains so untilthe master pilot is again lighted by hand.

I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structural details orarragement of parts herein set forth, as various'modiflcations thereofmay be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shallbeimposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

' 1. The combination with a gas-supply controlling valve, of means tobias said valve toward closed position, a gas supply line, a valvehousing in said line, a diaphragm dividing said housing into twochambers and operatively connected to said valve to permit or cut oilgas flow in said line, a pressure-reducing device in said line, twoconduits connected to said line at the high and low pressure sides,respectively, of said device and leading to opposite sides of saiddiaphragm, said diaphragm responding to the gas diiferential betweensaid chambers to open said valve, a bleed passage interconnecting saidchambers, and thermostatic valve means in said high pressure conduitwhereby when said thermostatic valve is closed, the gas pressure isreduced in one of said chambers to permit said bias means to effectclosure of said first-named valve.

2. The combination with a gas-supply-controlling valve, of means to biassaid valve, a gas supply line, a valve housing in said line, a diaphragmdividing said housing into two chambers and operatively connected tosaid valve to permit or cut oif gas flow in said line, apressure-reducing device in said line, two conduits connected to saidline at the high and low pressure sides, respectively, of said deviceand leading to opposite sides of said diaphragm, said diaphragmresponding to the gas difierential between said chambers to open saidvalve, a bleed passage interconnecting said chambers, thermostatic valvemeans in said high pressure conduit whereby when said thermostatic valveis closed, the gas pressure is reduced in one of said chambers to permitsaid bias means to efiect closure of said first-named valve, and meansfor temporarily manually moving and locking said first-named valve inone extreme position, said means being automatically releasable uponmovement of said first-named valve toward its other extreme position.

3. The combination with a gas-supply controlling valve, of means to biassaid valve toward closed position, a gas supply line, a valve housing insaid line, a diaphragm dividing said housing into two chambers andoperativeiy connected to said valve to permit or cut ofl gas flow insaid line, a pressure-reducing device in said line, two conduitsconnected to said line at the high and low pressure sides, respectively,of said device and leading to opposite sides of said diaphragm, saiddiaphragm responding to the gas diflerential between said chambers toopen said valve, 9, bleed passage interconnecting said chambers, acontrol burner, means operably responsive to operation of said burnerhaving a movable thermostatic member and also having a valve membersecured thereto for admitting gas from said high pressure conduit to oneof said chambers, said thermostatic member and valve member beingmovable to a position to permit high pressure gas to flow into one ofsaid chambers and move the diaphragm against said valve bias means.

FRANK H. CORNELIUS.

